Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: Covid's Extra Toll On Autistic Children; Texas Attempting Extreme Anti-Abortion Legislation
Bloomberg: Autism Is Difficult Enough For Children And Families. Then Came Covid-19
In retrospect, the autism warning signs were all there. A calm, easy baby from birth, around the age of two my middle son appeared to stall. He had a magpie eye for complicated words and entire Peppa Pig episodes, repetitions I now recognize as echolalia. He had no interest in role-playing games and hated getting his hands dirty. Eventually, his hand-and-leg-flapping — so jerky that we thought he was having convulsions — triggered alarm bells, visits to the neurologist and some answers. I wonder today how that might have played out had it been 2020, with no school or playgroup to highlight differences, longer waiting lists for health services in many places, and plenty of Covid-19 restrictions. We might have waited months to be referred to a specialist, and not accessed speech and occupational therapy until even later, delaying support that has been instrumental in his development into a cheery middle-schooler. (Clara Ferreira Marques, 5/6)
NBC News: Texas Anti-Abortion Legislation Paves Way For Every Right-To-Lifer To Sue Abortion Doctors
Texas has spent years attacking access to abortion. After the state exploited the Covid-19 crisis last spring to try to close abortion clinics, it was hard to imagine it could get more extreme. But the Texas Legislature is poised to do just that, by approving legislation being billed as the first of its kind for the tactics it uses to prevent access to abortion. The measure has already been passed by the state Senate and is set to clear a House procedural vote on Thursday. The reconciled version is expected to get the governor’s approval when it reaches his desk. (Marina Garrett, 5/6)
Houston Chronicle: Most Texans Don't Want The Extreme Abortion Restrictions The Legislature Passed
On Wednesday, the Texas House approved Senate Bill 8, one of the most extreme anti-abortion bills in the country. If signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, this bill will ban abortion as early as six weeks, after the detection of what Republicans are incorrectly calling a heartbeat, with no exception for rape or incest. This is essentially an unconstitutional, total ban on abortion because most Texans don’t even know that they are pregnant by the six-week mark. After being elected by a bipartisan coalition, Speaker Dade Phelan has taken every opportunity to pave the way for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s radically conservative agenda to become law. This year, anti-abortion zealots introduced more than 50 bills that would further restrict or outright ban abortion care in Texas. SB 8 is one of the most radical bans we have ever seen in the nation. (Caroline Duble, 5/7)
The Boston Globe: State Must Close The Loophole That Permits Unvaccinated Children Into Schools
Coronavirus has altered our lives forever. Public health experts agree that the only way past the current crisis is with widespread COVID-19 immunization and continued practice of COVID safety protocols. Currently about 146 million US adults, or 56 percent, have received at least one dose of a vaccine, and nearly 41 percent are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While COVID-19 has shown us what life is like without one vaccine, there is still the issue of acceptance of other vaccines we have had for years. Vaccines are safe and effective. They are the most thoroughly tested medicines administered across all fields of medical practice. They are more tested than insulin preparations for diabetes and asthma medications. According to the World Health Organization, we now have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases, which has had a major impact on survival and quality of life. Immunization currently prevents 2 million to 3 million deaths every year from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, and measles. (Jonathan Davis and Shetal Shah, 5/6)
Modern Healthcare: How The Industry Can Commit To Healthcare Workplace Safety
Our nation owes healthcare team members enormous gratitude. Throughout the pandemic, they have been a strong line of defense against COVID-19. Despite the demands of providing patient care for a disease unknown to modern medicine, with rapidly evolving information and new safety protocols, they came together to care for patients. They provided the best possible clinical care, and supported patients, families and each other in so many ways, whether their role was to keep hospitals clean, deliver food and nutrition, innovate to adapt care environments to improve safety, or provide administrative support. (Dr. Anne Klibanski, 5/6)
Stat: Pharma Should Collaborate On Efforts To Improve The QALY
A key element in the long-simmering debate on reining in drug prices in the United States is how to ensure that prices are affordable, represent a sufficient reward to industry for the innovation it provides, and reflect the benefit that patients get from the medications they take. Higher prices should mean better health, right? (Dan Ollendorf, 5/7)
Stat: Faster Approval Of Complex Generics Is Central To Affordable Care
The push to improve Americans’ use of effective and less-expensive generic medications is getting a much-needed push from the Generic Drug User Fee Act currently being negotiated between the Food and Drug Administration and the generics industry. This act can help improve access to complex generic medicines. That’s important for people with almost any condition, and is especially important for those with asthma and allergies, who I represent as president and CEO of the Allergy & Asthma Network. (Tonya Winders, 5/6)
